


"Thank you"

by nosoda



Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Canon Rewrite, Cuddling & Snuggling, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Shadesmar, adolin makes dumb jokes, just a little one though, kaladin is stressed and adolin tries his darn best to fix it, let kaladin sleep 2k19, shallan is only there at the end, they have Feelings™
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-25 16:17:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20914961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nosoda/pseuds/nosoda
Summary: While in Shadesmar, Adolin wakes up to find that someone else is awake too.Adolin decides to do the one thing he can in this strange place he knew nothing about.Comfort.





	"Thank you"

**Author's Note:**

> I have been writing bits and pieces of this since June, so hopefully it's not too fragmented. I hope you enjoy!

Adolin blinked his eyes drearily open to unfamiliar surroundings, momentarily confused before the days events came rushing back to him.

_ The storming of the palace. _

_ Kholinar falling. _

_ Elhokar’s death. _

_ Getting sent to this horrid place. _

Adolin’s mind boggled at the sudden rush of memory of the events that had transpired. While he was trying to take all this in again, his bladder let him know that things needed to be taken care of before he could go back to his mental crisis. Apparently bodily functions continued to happen in damnation.

After finding a suitable spot and answering the call of nature, Adolin was more than ready to make his way back to his makeshift bed and become unconscious once more. He took a moment to observe his fellow campmates. Shallan was asleep, as was Azure, Pattern sat straight backed with his legs crossed pointed towards the center of camp with Kaladin’s spren next to him, and his blade stood facing the sea of beads. Kaladin… where was he? Adolin found his answer by turning his head 90 degrees to the left. There by the edge of the land stood Kaladin, with his hands behind his back and a far off look on his face.

Adolin sighed. Something about that battle took a toll on him. It took a toll on all of them of course, but he’d never seen Kaladin so distraught than when he had to drag him away from that battle. He started to prepare some consolations for Kaladin in his mind as his tired legs started to carry him to where he was standing. He may not be able to help them get out of this place, but he could provide comfort where it was needed. At least he could do that.

~~~~

Kaladin stared over the ocean of spheres in front of him as he thought. How were they going to escape shadesmar? Since there was a way in, surely there was a way out. Azure had casually mentioned being in here before, and he saw her in the physical realm. Syl was from here, and she appeared in the physical realm. But she was a spren. And the spren with them couldn’t leave without their bonded human anyway. His mind grasped for some solution, some escape from this whole mess, but his thoughts were scrambled by his own weariness. Getting out of shadesmar was only half the issue anyway, What about Skar and Dhrey? What about Kholinar? What about the remaining wall guard?

The wall guard. Against his will, images of the fight entered his head. His  _ friends _ , being  _ killed  _ by one another. His hands’ grip on his wrists grew tighter. Beard, dead. Jali, dead. Sah, dead. Noro, dead.  _ Elhokar _ . Kaladin drew in a shuddering breath.  ** _Dead_ ** .

A sudden gentle touch on his arm broke his trance. A glance to his right revealed that it was Adolin who stood beside him. He had that look on his face, the one that said  _ I know that something is bothering you, and I intend to do something about it _ . Kaladin exhaled shakily and quickly, almost sounding like a sigh. “What are you doing up so late?” Kaladin asked, trying to keep emotion away from his voice, internally wincing when it didn’t work as well as he had hoped it would. Thankfully Adolin didn’t mention it. He knew how to act like he didn’t notice at all, even when he did. Kaladin liked that about him.

“I needed to take a leak, quite frankly. What about you? You need rest just as much as the rest of us, if not more.” Kaladin looked away from Adolin to the ground. “I couldn’t sleep.” It didn’t make sense. After all that draining of energy - both physically and mentally - he felt dead tired, And yet he could not sleep. It was like a cruel joke was being played on him. Adolin took his hand that was still resting on Kaladin’s arm and moved it up to his shoulder.

“Hey,” Adolin began eloquently, rubbing his thumb back and forth on Kaladin’s shoulder, “I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but everything is going to be okay. We  _ will  _ find a way out of here.”  _ Okay _ . When has anything been  _ okay _ ? It all felt like one battle after the next, with no buffer between the misery and hopelessness. Kaladin could get through it. He had made it this far after all. But a promise for the future felt empty when they were being dragged through damnation in the present. “I suppose.” Kaladin found himself saying, still looking at the ground.

“What’s the name of your spren? I don’t think you’ve ever told me.” Adolin asked, genuine curiosity in his voice. Kaladin was taken off guard by the question. “Her name is Syl. Well, Sylphrena is what her ‘full’ name is, but I always called her Syl.” Kaladin raised his head to look at Adolin, who seemed to be considering. “Syl. it’s a nice name. It does sound kind of spren-y.” Kaladin chuckled despite himself. “Did you just say ‘spren-y’?” A grin started to appear on Adolin’s face, as well as a twinkle in his eye. “Yeah, spren-y. Like how cremlings are cremling-y, and horses are horse-y. It’s the proper way to say it.” Adolin joked, badly imitating nonchalance like this was something  _ everyone  _ knew. 

The silly wordplay was utterly moronic, yet Kaladin couldn’t help the laughter that left his throat, a stark contrast to the tightness caused by the sadness and pain that was there just minutes prior. A frown replaced by a smile. Adolin’s face had mirth on it. And just a hint of relief too. 

Adolin didn’t have to come over here and talk to him, Kaladin realized. Judging by the bags under his eyes, he would much rather be asleep than awake right now. And yet, he decided that coming over here was worth his time. Kaladin reflected. Adolin would often talk to him when he was down. He would notice. When he was upset, Adolin would tell him it would be okay. He would laugh and joke until Kaladin inevitably laughed too. When Kaladin was thrown in jail, Adolin insisted on being thrown in with him, being the only lighteyes to stand up for him.

_ He cares, _ Kaladin realized,  _ he  _ cares _ about me _ . A sudden rush of affection surged through Kaladin, his arms wrapping themselves around the man in front of him. 

He felt like never letting go.

~~~~

Adolin stood shocked for a moment. He had  _ not _ expected Kaladin to hug him. Physical contact wasn’t usually Kaladin’s strong suit. Adolin tentatively enveloped Kaladin with his own arms. It was a nice hug. Kaladin was a naturally warm person, and had strong arms from consistent training. A contented smile enveloped Adolin’s face.

They remained in such a manner for a time, until Adolin noticed Kaladin was shaking slightly. A moment later he felt wet tears soaking through the clothes he had on. “Hey, hey,” he murmured quietly, rubbing his back with a concerned look. “You’re okay, it’s okay.” “I know- I- it’s just-” Kaladin pulled away, and Adolin could see tear tracks on his face. Kaladin took a deep breath. “Thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Adolin. Thank you for caring. You never had to, yet you did. I want you- I _need_ you to know I appreciate it.”

Adolin knew when someone wasn’t being authentic. But the man in front of him radiated authenticity. “Of course, Kaladin,” Adolin said quietly,”I mean, look at you. How could I not? I can’t think of a single person more deserving.”

Kaladin’s face flashed with uncertainty. “There are  _ plenty _ more deserving than me.”

“No one right in front of me, there isn’t”

Kaladin paused, looking at the ground, then apparently decided to drop it. Adolin would find a way to convince Kaladin of his worth in time, but it clearly wasn’t going to happen now.

A sudden wave of fatigue washed through Adolin’s already exhausted Body, and he could feel his legs go weak under him.

“I think it’s time to rest, Bridgeboy.”

~~~~

Shallan felt herself stir to consciousness. The first thing she groggily realised was that there was someone poking at her shoulder. Confused, she looked up to see Adolin and Kaladin looming over her. Adolin had his finger outstretched towards her shoulder.

“Adolin? Kaladin?” Shallan croaked out.

“This man,” Adolin said dramatically, “is in  _ desperate  _ need of a cuddle. Do you think we could manage that?”

Shallan shifted her gaze over to Kaladin. He was looking another direction, but seemed to have been suitably talked into whatever Adolin was planning.

Shallan looked back at Adolin and smiled a sly grin.

“I think we can manage that.”

~~~~

Kaladin Lie with his head against a makeshift pillow comprised of their supplies. Shallan was using his stomach as a pillow, one of her arms wrapped around his shoulder, and the other rest by her head, her hand loosely clasping one of Adolin’s. Adolin was using Kaladin chest as his pillow, with his arm wrapped around Kaladin’s other shoulder, his other hand with shallans. Kaladin’s own arms were wrapped around Adolin and Shallan’s backs.

They were both likely asleep by now, and by some miracle Kaladin was starting to feel drowsy himself. Normally he would be mortified to be  _ cuddling  _ with 2 of Roshar’s most important lighteyes and personal friends, but he was too drained to care. The warmth felt good, and he was tired.

He yawned. Maybe - just maybe - Adolin was right.

Maybe things would be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> somewhere in the distance, pattern hums.
> 
> he was totally going to bring this up at an inappropriate time.


End file.
